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19 May 2013

Accessories: Testing Zoom Q3HD video recorder

Introduction

Note: this entry was already published in my old Spanish version of this blog, around June 2011. Just revisiting it here.
When I've started to record some video to hang in Youtube, I've faced the two basic issues: how to get a good live sound and, how to catch a good image.

My Sony Handycam videocam offers a great quality video image but, the quality of the audio is bad because the high volume of the sound and the high sensibility of its mic, what produced a very loud and clipped sound, totally unusable.The sound seems to be maximized and highly clipped. Everything seems to sound at same level and, there is a clear loose in dynamics so, resulting sound is overcompressed (what can be good for speech but not to record an amp).

Some time later, I've found a solution for the sound with a Zoom Q3 unit, that was able to record a very decent audio (with its mic set to low sensitivity), being able to record a bad quality video.
So, for a while, I recorded with both things at same time and, had to use the video from the handycam and the sound from the Q3.
That makes everything more complex, since you have to synchronize both audio tracks and, this is a lot of extra processing time to have a video ready.

I was just willing to have a better video in the Zoom Q3 to simplify everything and, some time ago, Zoom released the High Definition version of the Q3: the Q3HD. So, as soon as I've seen it, I had to have it.

Conclusions

I made a couple of videos, not at max quality (1080) but, in an intermediate one (740) and, results were very good. Having a better resolution than Youtube, I allows me to reduce the size of the video without loosing too much.

The room where I make my demos have a deficient light (low consume) and, therefore my videos are a bit diffuse. That demos that the light correction system in this unit isn't so efficient as the one you could find in a true videocam but, at least I can rely just in a single device to have everything together.

This version is thinner than the original Q3 and, the sensibility level control for the mic isn't in a side switch but, in the configuration menu of the unit. In that sense, the Q3HD has a interface way comfortable than the old Q3. It's easier and quicker to configure everything: audio, definition, depth, sampling ratio, quality of video, mode PAL or NTSC, frames, etc.

Respect of its connexions, it has same as the previous Q3 had but, it includes additionally an output jack for HD TV and, a line input to record directly from line (from a mixing desk, by example).
Those are the basic differences respect of Q3.

The previous Q3 included a memory SD card of 2GB, a windscreen filter for the mic, a video S cable and, a fabric cover of the same color of the device.
The new Q3HD comes naked, just with the 2GB card.

In other way, it's very easy to use and, every complement of the Q3 is usable in the Q3HD so, I was able to reuse the AC transformer and, the 32 GB card that I had in my old Q3.

Respect of software, I've seen that it allows to directly edit videos, even clipping some parts, what helps you to save space and to store just those chunks of interest.
It has also some tools for quick edition and direct rendering for Youtube.

I didn't tested such additional tools, since I prefer to edit my videos with the help of Sony Vegas but, I find all them really interesting for anyone.

With the time, this little device is a great tool to record every individual performance and, review it later, to analyze what did I nice and what did I wrong. It's a very interesting tool to correct myself and, grow as a guitarist.
It also allows me to quickly prepare videos for Youtube so, I love this little pet.